Cotton and hay press



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. M. MEETZE.

COTTON AND HAY PRESS.

No. 279,174. Patented June 12,1883.

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` COTTON AND HAY PRESS. No. 279,174. Patented June 12,1883.

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UNITED STAP-rcsr PATENT vOFFICE.

HENRY M. MEETZE, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.`

COTTON AND HAY PRESS..l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,174, dated June 12, 1883.

' A pplicatiol tiled January 13,-1983. (No model) y To all wiz/0m, it may concern:

Be it known `that I, HENRY M. MEE'rzn, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Gharlotte, in the county of Mecklenburg and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Presses for Baling Cotton, Hay, and other Material, of which the following, when takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in presses for compacting cotton, hay, straw, and like material into bales; and it consists in certain details of construction and arrangements of parts, which will be fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figurel is a side elevation ofmy press, showing the levers in y with the levers removed.

position. Fig. l is a view in perspective o'f the frame, press-box, and pressure-plate, with the levers removed. Fig. 2 is atop view. Fig. avertical longitudinal sectional view Fig. l isa sectional end view on the lineV x a: of Fig. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the pressure-plate. Fig. Gis a detached view of one of the pressure-levers. Fig. 7 is a plan or top view ot' a detachable band, which may be used to hohl the sides and ends of the presshbox together. y

The'object of my invention is to construct a press which shall be simple'in all its parts, ei'- 1 feetive in its` work, and so cheap that it can come within the'reaeh of every one.

Referring to the drawings, A A designate the sills, of any desired or convenient length, to which the end pieces, B, of the press-box are rigidly attached by means of bolts, or in any convenient manner. To the end pieces of the press-box are secured the bars or battens C, which are cut away near their ends to form a notch, a, for the reception of the bars or battens D, which hold the sides Eof the press*- box against the end pieces, B. The lower ends of the side pieces, E, may be set in a recess in the sills, or they may be held in place by the lower battens or bars, D, the main object being to have ready access to the interior of the press-box after the bale has been pressed, to tie the same and roll the bale from the press. This can be most readily done by making the sides of the press box removable. Other sired.

means may be resortedto to hohl the sides ol' thepress-box against the end pieces.' A hinged band, as shown in Fig. 7, may be used to advantage, and when used it is made and applied in the following manner: 1l. are metal bars or straps, hinged together at 2 2, and having their free ends provided with holes 3, to iit over staples 4, secured in the end pieces, B; and after the bale is placed in position the bent keys 5 are inserted in the staples to hold the metal bars thereon. For all practical purposes, however, and for economic reasons, l prefer to use the' battens or bars ot' scantling or iron.

The end pieces, B, are provided with slots or eut-away portions b b in their upper ends,

for the reception ofthe projecting ends c c oi the follower or pressure-board E. The pressure-board 'or follower F is constructed of any suitable size or kind of timber, and is adapted to lit snugly within the cavity or walls of the p1"ess-boX,a11d, as heretofore stated, the press ure-board is provided with projecting 'ends c c, which enter the slots or recesses in the end pieces, and project a short distance beyond the same. The projecting ends c ofthe pressure-board or follower should be made suiiiciently. strong to bear'the force exerted by one or moreof the pressure-levers, if so desired, and also serve as handles for moving the pressure-hoard or lfollower to and from its position in the press-box; but where a screw-press is used in lieu of thelevers for compacting the material in the press-box the projections c c need not be made so strong.

,To the under side ot' the pressure-board or follower yF are secured battens or cleats 6, at short intervals apart, so as to leave spaces 7, through which t-he wire, metal strap, or other tying material is passed in the process of tying the bale. Similar battens or cleats, 8, are secured to the bot-tom board of the press in the same manner, so as to leave spaces 9 for the passage of t-he tie.

Gr G are the pressure-levers, two or more oi' which are used at each end of t-he press. One end of said lever or levers is securedto a chain or rod, d, which is in turn secured to the sills A A by hooks, staples, or bolts, as may be de- The free ends of the levers are passed over the press-box from end to end, or from side to side, as may be desirable or convenient,

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jection, h, on the blocks H, so as to steadyand retain the levers in their proper places.

The end pieces, B, are provided with swivelhooks l, secured in the top thereof', to hold the levers down after the requisite pressure has been exerted on the bale, so that the side ieees, E, can be taken oft' and the pressure retained on the bale while the bands or ties are being put on the bale. (lhainsmay be used for holding the levers down while the bale is being tied, instead of the swivel-hooks; but l prefer the swivel-hooks, for the reason that they are within easy reach ofthe operator, and are more convenient. ln case the purchase ofthe levers is not sufficient to force the pressure-board or follower down to the bottom of the notches or slots in the end boards ot the press, the follower may be retained in the position to which it has been forced by the levers by chains secured to it and to the sills, or by weights, so that the levers may be raised and another block of timber placed under the lever and on top ofthe previously-arranged block, so as to give the requisite purchase to the levers to force the follower down to the extent of its travel in the slots.

lt is obvious that any number of levers may be used, some lying parallel with the length of the press, and others crossing it at right angles, while others may be made to impinge on the projecting ends of the pressure-board or follower.

By my construction of a press I obviate the necessity of making a high or double press-box, resorting instead to two, three, or more press' ures to each bale by removing the follower and filling the press-box full of the material to be pressed.

llhe advantages of my press are obvious. Its

simplicity of construction enables an ordinary mechanic to make the same from materials which are commonly on hand, or found on any well -regulated plantation. lt is comparatively -tamped down.

inexpensive to build, and being light and so constructed as to be readily taken apart, it can be transported with ease from place to place.

The operation or method of using my press is as follows: The parts havingbeen put to-v gether and firmly secured, the press-box is filled with the material to be pressed and well The pressure-board or follower is now put on, the blocks arranged on top 'of the follower and the levers properly adjusted. Pressure is now applied by pulling down on the free ends of the levers and the pressure-bozu'd forced down to the bottom of the slots The levers and follower are now removed and the press-box iilled to the top, the levers and follower again' adjusted, and pressure applied. This operation may be repeated as often as is necessary to forni a bale of the required size. NV hen a bale has been formed, the free ends ofthe levers are secured in their depressed position by means ofthe swivel hooks or chains, the sides ofthe pressbox removed, and the bands lor ties secured around the bale. The levers are now released and, together with the blocks and follower, removed from the press-box, when the compacted bale can be readily removed from the press-box.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isw

l. In a machine for pressing cotton, hay, 81e., into bales, the -end pieces, B, rigidly secured 'to' the foundation-frame, and provided with the slots b, to receive the projecting ends ofthe follower, in combination with the sides E of the press-box, the whole of which are made removable, as set forth.

2. The combination of the stationary end pieces, B, provided with the slots b, with the follower F, provided with the projecting ends c, blocks H, lever G, chain d, vand sills A., as set forth.y

3. The combination of the end pieces, B, follower F, blocks H, chains d, and levers G with the swivel-hooks l, or their described equivalent, whereby the bale is held under pressure while the bands or ties are being put on the bale, as set forth.

HENRY M. .MEETZE XVitnesses:

E. NYE HUToHrsoN, C. XV. ALEXANDER.

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